Frank Rondel
Zohran Mamdani officially assumed office as mayor of New York City just after midnight on Thursday, taking the oath of office at the historic, decommissioned City Hall subway station in Manhattan, reports Customreceipt via the Associated Press. Mamdani, a Democrat, became the first Muslim leader of America’s largest city, placing his hand on a Quran as he recited the oath. He described the moment as “truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime” in brief remarks during the private ceremony.
The swearing-in was administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a close political ally. The City Hall station, one of the original stops of the New York subway system, is renowned for its vaulted ceilings and historic architecture. In his initial comments as mayor, Mamdani highlighted the station as a symbol of the importance of public transit to the city’s vitality and legacy, while announcing his appointment of Mike Flynn as the new commissioner of the Department of Transportation. He concluded the private event by thanking attendees before ascending the station stairs.
Mamdani is set to take the oath again at a larger public ceremony at City Hall at 1 p.m., administered by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, whom he considers a political mentor. Following the ceremony, his office plans a public block party along Broadway’s “Canyon of Heroes,” famed for ticker-tape parades celebrating city milestones.
At 34, Mamdani is not only the first Muslim mayor of New York City but also the first mayor of South Asian descent and the first born in Africa. Campaigning on affordability, he has pledged to introduce measures to reduce living costs, including free child care, free bus rides, a rent freeze affecting approximately one million households, and a pilot program for city-run grocery stores.
Mamdani also inherits everyday city management challenges, including sanitation, snow removal, rodent control, and maintaining infrastructure such as subways and roads.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani is the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani. His family relocated to New York City when he was seven, and he became a U.S. citizen in 2018. He previously served in the New York State Assembly, representing part of Queens since 2020, after working on campaigns for Democratic candidates.
Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, will move from their rent-stabilized apartment to the mayoral residence in Manhattan. The city has seen significant post-pandemic recovery, with violent crime rates returning to pre-pandemic lows, tourism rebounding, and unemployment stabilizing. Nonetheless, residents remain concerned about rising costs and housing affordability.
Relations with former President Donald Trump, who threatened to withhold federal funding during the campaign but later met Mamdani at the White House, will require careful navigation due to policy disagreements, especially on immigration. Mamdani also faces scrutiny from parts of the Jewish community over his stance on Israel’s government.
In preparing for the transition, Mamdani assembled a team of experienced personnel and persuaded Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to continue in her role, easing concerns in the business community over potential changes in policing policies.
Earlier we wrote that new Obesity Definition Could Mean Over 75% of U.S. Adults Are Affected, Study Finds.